Delhi Riots: Former JNU Student Umar Khalid Arrested Under UAPA, to be Produced Before Court Today

Khalid, who was summoned on Saturday and Sunday was arrested after being questioned for around 10 hours. He will be produced before a Delhi court today. 

New Delhi: Former Jawaharlal Nehru University student Umar Khalid has been arrested under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with northeast Delhi riots that broke out in February this year. Notably, Khalid, who was summoned on Saturday and Sunday was arrested after being questioned for around 10 hours. He will be produced before a Delhi court today.

“My son Umar Khalid has been arrested tonight at 11 PM by Special Cell, Delhi Police under UAPA. Police was questioning him since 1 PM. He has been implicated in Delhi riots,” said Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, father of Umar Khalid.

Earlier on September 2, Khalid was called by the Crime Branch for questioning in the northeast Delhi riots case. He was let off after the questioning. If reports are to be believed, a chargesheet against him is likely to be filed in the coming days.

Reacting to Khalid’s arrest, senior advocate Prashant Bhushan tweeted, “Umar Khalid’s arrest by Delhi police after naming Yechury, Yogendra Yadav, Jayati Ghosh & Apoorvanand, leaves no doubt at all about the malafide nature of it’s investigation into Delhi riots. It’s a conspiracy by the police to frame peaceful activists in the guise of Investigation.”

Meanwhile, a group called ‘United Against Hate’ issued a statement asking Delhi Police to ensure ‘Umar Khald’s safety by all means possible’.

“After 11 hours of interrogation, the Delhi Police Special Cell has arrested Umar Khalid as a “conspirator” in the Delhi Riots case. The fairytale narrative that DP has been spinning criminalising protests in the garb of investigating riots, find yet another victim. The fight against draconian CAA and UAPA will go on despite all these horrid measures of intimidation. Right now, our first priority is that he should be given maximum security and the Delhi Police must ensure his safety by all means possible,” the statement reads.